Displacement transducers known in the art are based on a variety of operating principles resulting in particularly complex devices with inherent structural and operational disadvantages. For example, displacement transducers conventionally used in the art, often involve a variable magnetic coupling system (known as a linear variable differential transformer) which requires an alternating current source for operation. When using such a transducer in conjunction with a balancing bridge, complex electronic circuits are required to detect direction of displacement. Furthermore, such devices are generally affected by the ambient temperature, so that calculated compensations must be applied to obtain precise results.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a displacement transducer which requires only a direct-current source for operation, and will measure displacement without the use of contacting members to which the relative displacement is applied.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a displacement transducer of the foregoing character which may be applicable to force, torque, and strain measurements.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a displacement transducer, as described, which may be economically fabricated and has a substantially long operating life.